Driver's Ed
by Josie Ronin
Summary: A short one-shot wherein Hermione shows Professor Snape a few driving tips for his pending trip to the States.


"Draco, I'm not sure I can do this. I mean, he's our old professor. I'm not sure we can do the role reversal well. Is he going to let me show him? Besides, I thought he already knew how to drive," said Hermione questioningly.

Draco replied, "He's my godfather, if he knew how to drive a Muggle car, I'd know it. I don't know why he needs to learn now, though."

"Midlife crisis…"

"What's that?"

"Never mind, it's a Muggle thing, you wouldn't understand."

Draco shook his head and asked, "You'll do it?"

"Draco, does he know that you have me slated as his avocational driving instructor?"

"Sure he does, I'd not dream of surprising him for anything."

* * *

At 2 p.m. on a clear summer afternoon, Hermione waited in an empty car park for Professor Severus Snape, Order of Merlin First Class and driving student. She knew how to drive, and had taught other wizards as well. But Snape was another story entirely. She couldn't help but feel intimidated by the process, what if he had some question she couldn't answer? She hoped she was just helping him with the driving part, the theory part he should be able to learn from the book.

"Miss Granger…"

Hermione spun around and saw Snape in a black shirt, black trousers, and his black dragonhide boots. Somehow he looked even taller than he did in his robes and she mentally stopped herself from cowering in his presence. "Didn't hear you Professor, sorry. Your spy skills are still intact, I see."

He started to correct her about being addressed as professor, but he was still working for Hogwarts and decided not to trouble her about it. "Draco told me that your knowledge of driving is on par with the rest of your abilities and I decided to ask if you could show me how to drive."

"Why, if I may ask, do you need to know how to drive? I'm not trying to pry, but it will help me show you what you need to know. And honestly, I thought you knew how to drive, since you grew up with a Muggle father."

"My Muggle father was an alcoholic and liked to control our transportation options. My mother and I didn't drive. I plan to learn how to drive here and go to the United States for study in North American herbology, for potions ingredients. I had two megalomaniacs drop out of my bridge club and find myself with extra time on my hands, so I'm starting up some research." Snape shrugged.

"Oh, I've always wanted to go to America. Driving there is different, they drive on the right side of the road and we are on the left, but the steering wheel is on the left in American cars so that helps. Do you want to watch me drive or are you ready to drive?"

"I'll watch and you describe what you are doing. Pretend it's a Quiddich match. Where's your car?"

Hermione walked over to her roadster, an MG TF. It was red, it was a convertible and she loved it. Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Your car hood is made of fabric," Snape deadpanned.

"It's a convertible, Harry and Ron helped me pick it out. My parents wanted to buy me a car for when I come and visit. I need to be able to drive sometimes."

"I see they continue to show the same reckless disregard for your personal safety."

Hermione looked at the ground and walked over to the right hand door of the car. Snape chivalrously opened her door. She looked puzzled but got in and unlocked the door on the other side. He crawled in and looked around critically. "How do you plan to proceed?" he said.

"How about drive to the countryside? It's a lovely day and my car has automatic transmission so we needn't worry about gear changing. I'll tell you about the basics on an extended trip, we'll do parking another time and British road classification is quite complicated, though the system you'll see as a driver is quite simple. We'll stay mostly on the B class roads, these are secondary roads that…"

"Miss Granger, I have purchased the book, although I've not memorized it as you seem to have done. A drive would be fine."

* * *

An hour later they returned to the car park. Hermione looked down her checklist.

"Let me show you the charm I made up for parallel parking."

"You made up a charm for parallel parking?"

"Yes, it was fun, but it took about six months to get it to do what I wanted to do."

"Of course, I know lots of witches that amuse themselves by authoring recreational charms," Snape quipped. "Don't you knit socks or something?"

"Really, parking like this is hard. Do you want to learn the charm or not?"

"I suppose it's easier than actually parking."

Hermione tapped on the steering wheel center and said "Placify!" and the car steered itself into place. "When you take the test, you have to pretend that you are steering but that's not a big problem."

Snape stopped for a moment to absorb the process. "You performed this maneuver wandlessly?"

Hermione blushed. "Actually, semi-wandlessly."

"Semi-wandlessly? I never heard of such a thing."

"I have my wand, just not in my hand." Hermione pulled the hem of her top away from her body and said "Accio wand" very softly and it snapped into her waiting hand.

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Nice trick. Is this one user created as well?"

"Actually yes, but Ginny helped me. I lost a lot of jumpers in research and development."

"I can imagine. However, I do not have such a suitable place to store my own wand."

"It only requires skin to skin contact. Medical tape will do."

"I think I'll find another way. Removing medical tape sounds…unpleasant."

* * *

Two months later, Severus Snape saw his unadorned name on a driving permit, having passed the written and driving portions of the testing without confunding anyone. Hermione successfully showed him how to parallel park, change a tyre, and jump start the car Muggle-style, just in case he needed to know. He did not smile for the photo.

A/N: Maybe I'll do a sequel when he goes to America. I'm thinking about that now. I hate unfinished WIPs, so I'll not do it unless I have actual content.


End file.
